Ralph Rinehart

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 Noon on Saturday, April 17, 2010 at Grace United Methodist Church with visitation from 11:00 a.m. until service time at the church. Burial will be in Friends Creek Cemetery, Argenta, IL, with military rites conducted by the Macon County Honor Guard. Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Homes, Decatur, are assisting the family with the arrangements.Memorials may be made to Grace United Methodist Church or the Graywood Foundation.Ralph was born on January 26, 1920 in Argenta, IL to Walter and Bessie (Troxell) Rinehart. The family later moved to Decatur where Ralph attended school and graduated from Decatur High School in 1938.Ralph proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1942-1945 in Australia, New Guinea and the Phillipine Islands as a Skipper with Harbor Craft Co. attached to Transportation Corps.He married Imogene H. Smith in 1951. Before starting his own accounting firm, he was employed at A.E. Staley Co., where he was also a member of Staley baseball team in 1946 & 1947. After graduating from Browns Business College he held various public accounting positions until starting his own business, Rinehart Accounting in 1950. He retired in 1985, but continued as an income tax consultant up until 2006.Ralph was a charter member of the Breakfast Optimist Club and a member of Grace United Methodist Church for over 80 years, serving as church treasurer and usher for many of those years. He was a die-hard Cub fan and attended as many of his grandchildrens and great-grandchildrens various ball games as he was able to. Ralph was an avid golfer.Survivors include two daughters Debra (Jack) Sunderlik of Decatur, IL and their son Michael of Springfield, IL; Darlene (Jim) White of Oreana, IL and their children Tammie Deaville and her two children Brandon and Elizabeth, all of Tuscola, IL; Leslie (Toby) McDermith and their children Kody, Andrew and Bryce, all of Warrensburg, IL; and special son Cody of Mattoon, IL; Robert (Melissa) White and their one week old son Hudson of Downs, IL. Ralph is also survived by his sister Iris (Max) Edgar of Arcola, IL and sister-in-law Faye Rinehart of Ohio. He leaves many nephews and nieces who enriched his life immensely. Ralph was preceded in death by his beloved wife Imogene in 2004, brother Charles Rinehart, and sister Alice (Gene) Leisner of Atwood, IL.Special thanks to Dr. Mark Scott and also to DMH Home Care and Hospice nurses for their care and concern. "
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